近

jìn
adjective HSK 2 #1,100

Meanings

  1. 1 near
  2. 2 close

Examples

HSK 2
Xuéxiào lí wǒ jiā hěn jìn.
The school is very close to my home.
HSK 2
Zuìjìn nǐ zěnmeyàng?
How have you been recently?
HSK 2
Zǒu jìn yìdiǎn kàn.
Come closer to look.

Tips

usage
Opposite is 远 (far). 最近 = recently/lately - one of the most common words using 近.
grammar
Pattern: A 离 B 很近 = A is very close to B.

Components

radical
辶 chuò
walk; movement (radical form)
Walking radical wraps around the bottom-left - the indexing radical. Marks 近 as a spatial/distance term involving travel. Pairs neatly with 远 (far), and joins the family of motion verbs 进 (enter), 退 (retreat), 这 (this). Always written last in the stroke order.
phonetic
斤 jīn
axe; catty (here phonetic)
Inner 斤 supplies the sound - jīn → jìn, only tone differs. 斤 originally pictured an axe (now also a weight unit, half a kilogram). Pure phonetic loan; the axe meaning isn't active here. Same phonetic in 听 (listen), 析 (analyze), 欣 (delight).

Stroke Order

近 jìn